-5. stupid cold

[ADV]

I have my trucks glow plugs wired up to a push button and it has been working great. I have the factory wate to start light wired in and I added a extra light on the hot side to know when the plugs are getting power. Kind of a safety to see if the solenoid sticks on like last time so l don't burn up my plugs again. Last night after work I had to hit my push button a few times to get them to glow now when its-5 and windy truck sitting outside they will not work. Must be to cold or a faulty solenoid. Had to use starting fluid to get her to go hate to do it but had no other option. Crazy Wisconsin weather Tuesday it was 50 and rain Thursday 5 inches of snow and today-5.

 

[icanfixall]

It may well be a bad solenoid. The extreme cold will find the smallest electrical failure point and exploite it... But at least this is a kinda warning of things to come.. Starting a cold engine of spray atarter will not hurt the engine. But using the glows AND starting fluid is a problem. My good wifey many years ago was old transporting horses with our trainer and our daughter. I filled both tanks and told her not to run one dry.. Well she did just that but couldn't tell me so.. She was coasting down a long grade about to make a freeway transition when she stepped on the throttle... Nothing cause the engine died from lack of fuel. She cranked but no go. She saw the mt mark on the dash gauge and switched tanks.. Continued cranking but still no go... Don't know how long she cranked... Its dark and I get the call to come help out... Big mess trying to FIND her on the freeway too. So I get there and figure it out.. My little girl told me what she did.... No secrets there. As I'm bleeding it ans she is cranking it the engine finally begins to fire. Wifey sees the loose hard lines and the fuel squirting so she shuts down the engine... What a mistake.. Me yelling and her "thinking "she was saving me a mess. So now I'm under the hood with starter fluid... Wamr engine sparying it. The glow plugs are working too. The smallest spray locks up the engine. It wont turn thru with the spray. Let it sit and crank again. It fires up. I tighten up the hard lines that are loose... Note to self... Never loosen the hard to reach lines and run the engine... Big mess right there.. I get it running... Give her the other truck without the horse trailer on tow and tell her ..I'll see you at home later.... Boy did I need a drink that nite... But I'm a non drinker but it was a nice thought anyway. Starter fluid can be an issue with these engines if the glows are working. Being on a pushbotton is ok...

 

[ADV]

Truck ran for 15 min to warm up then I hit the button to see if it worked and it did. New solenoid on the work bench just need time to put it in.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Last week is was -18* and my truck had been sitting for at least a week without anyplace to plug it in. Hit my push button to find out my GP solenoid was shot. Luckly I had a warm tractor close so I plugged my "spit swap hoses" in and warmed the motor until it started up. Went to town and got a new solenoid and it's been no problem since even in -20* weather.

 

[swervyjoe]

I wonder if that's the same problem I have. The pickup started fine one morning at 0* but after work it was 20* and the pickup wouldn't start. I ended up using either. The plugs seems to test fine with a multi meter. The relay tested good and I can hear it click. It's a push button setup.

 

[Matrix37495]

6° here last week with a block about the same temp and it wouldn't even try to start on ether or glow plugs... ended up pull starting it the next day...

 

[73idi88f350]

mine decided this morning that it didnt really wanna turn over but finally fired up.. had to pull start it today at work to get home.. pulled the starter mines lifetime so i just gotta go get the old one swap for a new one..